It's able to receive "full take‚§|unfiltered data‚§|including"
communications content. It can do so over a period of days.

Documents show up to "500 million (monthly) data connections
from Germany accessed by the NSA." XKeyScore collects much of it.

German/NSA cooperation "recently intensified." BND's Schindler
expressed an "eagerness and desire" to do so. According to
NSA:

"The BND has been working to influence the German government
to relax interpretation of the privacy laws to provide greater opportunities
of intelligence sharing."

In 2012, Germany showed a "willingness to take risks and to pursue
new opportunities for cooperation with the US."

In Afghanistan, BND was NSA's "most prolific partner." The
relationship is longstanding. It's hard-wired. Merkel lied. Anger expressed
over US spying was fake.

She knows what's going on. She's involved. On September 22, German
federal elections are scheduled. Voters will choose Bundestag representatives.

Merkel's coalition needs up to 300 or more seats to retain power.
Until NSA spying and Germany's involvement were revealed, easy reelection
was expected.

She's seeking a third term. Perhaps she won't get it. Earlier polls
showed her ahead. Voters may have second thoughts. They'll †decide
if she's a spent force. In weeks we'll know.

In the meantime, expect more revelations. On July 19, Der Spiegel headlined "Greenwald: 'Explosive' NSA
Spying Reports Are Imminent," saying:

Expect them in a few days. They'll be the next shoe to drop. They'll
be "more explosive in Germany" than previous reports.

They'll tell more about BND/NSA cooperation. Greenwald said he's got
around 9,000 to 10,000 top secret documents. He's had them for weeks.

He's been analyzing them. Some documents are "extremely complicated."
He's living in Rio de Janeiro. CIA has a "robust" presence
there.

He's worried about his safety. He feels "threatened in the sense
that there are very prominent American politicians and even American
journalists who have called for (his) arrest, who have called (him)
a criminal."

Possession of top secret US documents jeopardizes his safety. He's
got multiple copies. He maintains regular contact with Snowden. They
use "encrypted chat technologies."

German/NSA cooperation isn't at the same level as Britain, Australia,
Canada or New Zealand. It's the "next tier where they exchange
information all the time."

"Clearly, Risen's direct, firsthand account of the criminal conduct
indicted by the grand jury cannot be obtained by alternative means,
as Risen is without dispute the only witness who can offer this critical
testimony."

"There is no First Amendment testimonial privilege, absolute
or qualified, that protects a reporter from being compelled to testify
by the prosecution or the defense in criminal proceedings about criminal
conduct that the reporter personally witnessed or participated in, absent
a showing of bad faith, harassment, or other such non-legitimate motive,
even though the reporter promised confidentiality to his source."

Risen vowed to go to prison rather than testify. He may end up there.
He'll appeal to the Supreme Court. Odds of winning are slim.

The Court's stacked with right wing extremists. They're largely comfortable
with police state lawlessness. It shows in their rulings.

Risen may first ask for a full Fourth Circuit ruling. His lawyer Joel
Kurtzberg said:

"We are disappointed by and disagree with the court's decision.
We are currently evaluating our next steps."

"Under the majorityís articulation of the reporterís privilege,
or lack thereof, absent a showing of bad faith by the government, a
reporter can always be compelled against her will to reveal her confidential
sources in a criminal trial."

"Whatever the limits of who may claim reporterís privilege,
it is clear that Risen - a full-time reporter for a national news publication,
The New York Times - falls into the category of people who should be
eligible to invoke the privilege."

"The majority exalts the interests of the government while unduly
trampling those of the press, and in doing so, severely impinges on
the press and the free flow of information in our society."

Friday's ruling set a precedent. It applies only to the Fourth Circuit.
It's important. It includes Maryland and Virginia. It's Pentagon, CIA
and NSA headquarters.